Pausingâ€¦Whether I Wanted To Or Not

My husband and I returned from a three-week vacationâ€¦a week ago. There were ups and downsâ€”everything from being pick-pocketed in London to meeting truly fascinating peopleâ€”and memories made. Taken as a whole, even with the good, bad, and ugly, we would go on the trip again in a heartbeat.

However, one of the souvenirs I brought back was a nasty viral infection sandwiched between a double ear infection. Yay! It is a reminder, once again, that if we refuse to see the warning signs and slow down our body does it for us.

Prior to our vacation I was stressed and running faster than my stubby legs wanted to carry me. I rationalized my behaviorsâ€”only I can get this and this and this done, right?– and trusted it would all be fine.

Wham! My normally healthy world crashed and Iâ€™m only now crawling out of the sick bed inch by inch. My hearing is still woefully wonky, my taste buds have yet to return from vacation, and my sense of smell, well, stinks.

Today I mustered my energy and decided to get my garden started. I poked my nose in a couple pots of lemon balm and inhaled the scent deeply. Up until that moment I have not been able to smell even the most wonderful of scentsâ€¦pizza, lilacs, fresh breadâ€¦but then a miracle. Just the tiniest whiff of citrus filtered through my swollen sinuses. I almost cried. Maybe, just maybe, my body is healing at last. Such a small victory, but it was also colossal. Smelling again! It was the best part of my day.

A Message From Gail

Through my blog and website, I hope to share beauty, laughter, inspiration, aging & midlife lessons and advice on dealing with menopause. I will also devote time to integrative health and healing tips and news. I want feedback and questions because, while we may be sharing the journey, every woman has her own experience and her own story.